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Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Meet Our Military Child, Kyli

Today I introduce you to our first born, Kyli. A little over 18 months after her father joined the Marine Corps, she debuted her pretty little face to this world. This girl will only know her childhood as a military kid. A fact that worried me to no end for a very long time. The more I've talked to adult military kids, the less I worry. I have met few children with military parents who feel the military lifestyle impacted them negatively. I will talk more later this week on the things we've done to help ease the burden of military life stressors on our kids.

Kyli is the only child I forbid to enter the military or marry into it. I say this knowing she is the most likely to find a connection to the military, given the simple fact I don't want her to. I will admit the day I overheard a conversation with her bestie in which she said she wanted to marry a Marine...my heart broke a little. Thankfully we aren't there yet and I may move her to a deserted island before she starts dating. Right now we can focus on the only Marine in her life...her father. And find out the perspective of a 12 year old military child.

Q: Your dad is in the military. Do you know what branch of service he is in? And what his job is?

A: Marine. He tells people the right way to fix helicopters.

Q: Do you think that is a cool job?

A: Sure.

Q: If you were in the military, what branch would you choose? And what would you do?

A: Marine. Be an officer.

Q: If you joined the military, what do you think you would be the best at?
A: Telling people what to do. (Typical oldest child answer, right?) And running.

Q: What do you think would be the most difficult part about being a Marine?
A: All the hard physical training they have to do and going to war [and stuff].

Q: Of all our duty stations, which has been your favorite? Why?

A: I liked both Japan and California. My favorite things about Japan were the sightseeing places, the giant arcades, and the giant malls. My favorite things about California are all the amusement parks, my friends, and the beach.

Q: What was your least favorite part about living in Japan?

A: The earthquake because it was scary.

(Poor girl was stuck on the second floor of a metal building at the time of the earthquake.)

Q: What is the hardest part about having a parent in the military?

A: When they go on deployment.

Q: What helps make deployment easier for you?

A: I don't know. I just got use to it.

Q: What do you think makes the military so special?

A: They serve their country. They fight wars.

Q: What do you think makes military kids so special?

A: They get to move to places other kids might not get a chance to go to.

Sweetpea! She seems like such a well grounded child, and is similar in age to my Katie. She was born about 18 months after we got married and moved to San Diego, and our girls are around the same age. The perspective they have as military children is astounding.